When nobody else was there
by FluffyTeta-chan
Summary: Summer before his fifth year, Harry is all alone and his friends aren't at all helpful. He manages to get out of Privet Drive one day, though- and finds the most unexpected and pleasant company. A Drarry story.
1. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans

"We can't trust you to stay alone in here as long as we're gone! Who knows what you will-"

"Tell you what- how about I get out as well?"

He was tired of being stuck in 4 Privet Drive. It had been a month since the holidays began, with no news from the Wizarding World and his friends's letters getting more and more frustrating. He spent the whole day in the house he hated and every night, he had nightmares involving Cedric...

He needed some magic.

Vernon Dursley narrowed his eyes and shaked his finger in front of Harry's face.

"If you think I'm going to give a spare key to MY house, young man, you-"

"Don't. Don't give me a key. Tell me what time you are most likely going to be back, so I'll come right after you..."

He just wanded to grab his wand and disappear from this place, but that wasn't a wise decision. As frustrated as he was, he could see that.

Vernon and Petunia exchanged a look. "I don't like you walking around in the neighbourhood, causing trouble..." the woman said, staring at her nephew.

"I won't. They won't even notice me."

If he wanted to get out of this place, he had to be kind to the Dursleys. 

About half an hour later, he finally managed to convinced his aunt and uncle to let him out. "You'll be back, 9 o'clock sharp! Or you're sleeping out tonight." his aunt hissed.

It was 3 in the afternoon, so he had plenty of time.

He took his wand and some money and summoned the Knight Bus. He kindly avoided Stan Shunpike, who was way too eager to have a conversation with Harry andask him 'what happened and he went loony'.

He got off the bus at the 'Leaky Cauldron'. He knew exactly what to do from there.

Half an hour after he left Privet Drive, he was in the Diagon Alley. It was too early for students to be there buying their Hogwarts books and equipment, but as always, the Alley was very busy.

He was still in muggle clothes, but he couldn't care less. He got a few sharp looks from the bypassers, but he ignored them. He was finally amongst wizards.

"...so then I bought some cauldron cakes, for the kids.." a witch with a feathered purple hat passed him by.

"...I told him he shouldn't put fluxweed in the potion, but no, he didn't listen!" a short middle-aged wizard was complaining.

"The Chudley Cannons really did it this year..." a young man interrupted his phrase to look at Harry as the teenager passed by, and started whispering something to his ginger female friend when he thought Harry was no longer within earshot. He thought wrong. 

He stopped in front of the 'Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie' to take a look at the owls. A black one tilted its head and stared at Harry with its big yellow eyes. He felt guilty for leaving Hedwig behind, but he couldn't really take her with him and he didn't like the thought of letting her wander around wherever she wanted for six hours.

Besides, she was out every night while for Harry, this could be his first and last chance to get out of this place he called "home". Sort of. Well, nothing like it.

He got a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans and sat on a bench right across 'Floorish and Blotts'. Some of the bypassers noticed him, some others didn't. Some commented on his muggle clothes, some on the fact that he was attention-seeking.

Right now, he couldn't care less. He was happy just sitting there, amongst wizards, biting on his peach-flavoured bean.

He had a secret hope he would see a friendly face... hoping for Ron or Hermione was too much. Besides, he was furious at them right now. Maybe a classmate...

Be careful what you wish for, cause you just might get it, they say...

A few minutes later, a boy came out of Floorish and Blotts, holding something that looked like a Hogwarts book. The boy was tall, with blonde hair and somehow greyish pale skin. Draco Malfoy. Awesome.

He threw a white bean in his mouth, that proved to be milk-flavoured. His adversary sat on the bench nex to his, too busy with his book to pay attention to Harry.

The ebony-haired boy slowly got up, planning to leave, but Draco decided to take his eyes off his book abruptly. Emerald eyes met silver ones. Harry sighed and sat back on his bench, trying to ignore the blonde completely, hoping he would do the same.

Draco stared at the void for a few seconds. Then, he got off his bench, looked around and moved to Harry's bench.

Perfect.

The teenager was about to say something, but Harry didn't give him a chance. "I'm not in the mood, Malfoy."

The boy looked insulted and confused. He turned his eyes away from Harry and opened his book again. His cheeks seemed to have a bit of colour now...

Harry threw a peppermint flavoured bean in his mouth and looked at the offended Slytherin. "What, no snarky comments?" he said, staring at him.

Draco didn't take his eyes off his book. "Not today, Potter."

"What's so special about today?"

"Nothing. I thought you weren't in the mood..." he said, less ironically than he wanted to.

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

Did Draco come here to...talk to him?

What could they possibly discuss?

He looked at Draco- he WAS blushing. And he was adorable.

Did he... did he just think of Draco as adorable?

...Again?

He looked at the blonde. "You wanted to say something..." he said slowly.

"Never mind. It was a bad idea coming here, anyway..." he said and closed the book, planning to leave.

Harry noticed the cover. Something to do with potions.

"I wouldn't be able to read that book." he said urgently, trying to stop Draco from leaving. Which he did because...?

"It's the fifth year's potions textbook. You will have to learn how to read it anyway..." Draco answered.

"Well, I suck at potions, anyway.", he said as he digged in his box to find the least suspicious bean.

Draco stared at the small box. "How can you like these?" he said.

Two hints that something really weird was going there: one, they hadn't used each other's surnames in a few moments now, two, they were, apparently, making small talk.

"I just do!" he said, putting an orange one in his mouth. Orange-flavoured. And here he thought it would be broccoli. "You... don't?"

"I don't like surprises..." the blonde said, lifting his eyes to look at Harry's face.

"Well... they're not that much of a surprise!". He took a red one out of the box. "This can be either strawberry, tomato, or wine! Nothing... weird."

"Well, I can bet it's going to be something else." Draco said with a cunning look on his face.

Harry shrugged his shoulders again. "Challenge accepted!". He put the small bean in his mouth and swallowed it hard a few seconds later. He turned to look at Draco, who looked like a cat who was planning to sharpen its nails on your favourite couch.

"...And I stand corrected." he said. "It's... I think it's blood!"

Draco laughed. Harry looked at him and smiled. "It's sort of.. sweet... and... iron-like..."

"You can't say I didn't warn you!" the teenager said, smiling.

"Well... you did." he said, sounding surprised.

Another moment of awkward silence followed, before Draco decided to speak. "I... I wanted to give you my condolences. I didn't really have the time to do so. I am sorry for your loss..." he said fast, forgetting how to breathe.

Harry smiled sadly. "Thank you. And do breathe."

Draco smiled in a reserved way.

It seems the snob Slytherin actually had feelings.

"Wizards' clothes are not good enough for you anymore? You want to stand out more?" Draco said, looking at Harry's faded jeans and simple black shirt. The ebony-haired boy smiled.

"You know me, Malfoy. Always seeking the spotlight. Why are you here anyway?"

"My father is on a diplomatic trip... or something of the like. My mother went to visit some relatives. I was alone- sneaking out without the elves noticing is easy." he answered. "Why are you here?"

"Anything to ruin your day, Draco." he smiled.

"I don't doubt that. And you just called me Draco..."

"I... did?" it was Harry's turn to blush. Draco seemed amused. "Well, a mistake like that won't happen again."

"Right... Why are you here anyway?" he said, smirking slightly.

"My aunt and uncle had to go somewhere... and I was bored." he answered. An answer that was not 100% true and accurate, but the blonde Slytherin didn't have to know that.

Draco nodded. Harry put a light green bean in his mouth- it tasted like overcooked cabbage. "You know what? I'm going to get something less surprising to eat." he said and threw the box in a garbage bin nearby. There were few left, anyway.

The blonde nodded once again, giving Harry a facial expression that looked almost like a smile. Harry got off the bench and stared at the void once again.

Honestly, he had imagined that before. Himself asking Draco to spend the day with him, or something similar. It was ridiculous- Draco Malfoy was undoubtedly his biggest rival but for some reason he had pictured himself... asking him out? No surprise. That wasn't the only thing he had imagined doing with Draco. Those thoughts came and left in his mind. He thought it was normal some time ago- the process of realising he was gay wasn't easy for him, so he thought imagining himself with cute boys was part of the whole... coming out deal. He had to admit, Draco was one hell of an eye candy.

However, Draco didn't seem to leave his mind even when he accepted completely he was gay- well, not completely. He hadn't come out to anyone yet- not even Ron and Hermione- he was afraid of how they would react.

There were a few nights that were still kind to him, so instead of dreaming Cedric's death or running in an endless maze, he dreamt of other things. And by other things, he meant kissing Draco Malfoy and touching his naked chest. Sometimes more than that...

Draco's behaviour was a huge surprise. The young Slytherin was always bossy, rude and snide when Harry was around. Perhaps he had decided to be a bit kinder to

Harry because his friends weren't around to judge him? Well, the teenager was the closest thing he had to communicating with a wizard right now. It probably was worth a shot, even though this boy was Draco Malfoy.

He looked at the blonde. "I'll probably get myself some cauldron cakes and a butterbeer." he said.

"And a few extra pounds, apparently." he answered and gave Harry a very attractive half-smile. He imagined himself screaming at him to go on a date, similarly to what Ron had done in front of that veela in their fourth year.

"Care to accompany me? You could use a few pounds yourself..." he said. As he was waiting for the boy to answer, his heart was bumping in his chest.

Draco got off the bench, fixing his clothes slightly. He held his book against his chest, just like Hermione did sometimes. "And risk being seen with you?"

He had a feeling that was a trick question. "Yes...?" Harry said, meeting Draco's silver eyes once again.

"Deal."


	2. The word is bitching, Potter

"He was home by nine, and he already was in his bed at ten. The window was open- Hedwig was out. There were a few letters from Ron and Hermione he hadn't opened yet, but he wouldn't do it tonight. He opened Sirius's letter, but ignored the rest- he was in a good mood finally after a long time, he didn't want to ruin it.

When he had asked Draco to go with him, he honestly expected he would get mad at the boy within an hour, or that some young purebloods would appear and Draco would hide in the nearest restroom. The young Slytherin though, proved to be a good company. The snarky, witty comments were part of their conversation, nothing malicious though.

Hanging around like this in the Diagon Alley was probably risky. Nobody seemed to notice that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were walking together. The boys didn't really hear anything. People wanted to avoid even making eye-contact with Harry and that was, apparently, useful. He was so glad Hermione had "gotten rid" of Rita

Skeeter, as well.

Harry got his cauldron cakes, butterbeer and extra pounds and bought some for Draco too. "I told you before, my treat..." he said when the boy complained. Seeing

Draco laugh at his jokes was certainly... scary. He had seen Draco's bad side, he thought he honestly knew the boy. Now he could clearly see there was a lot more to him than the nosy, stuck-up teenager he had showed Harry multiple times he was.

Later, they had dinner together- Harry let Draco pay for it. 

"If I am to avoid your complaining, by all means..."  
"Glad to hear it. And I think the word you're looking for, Potter, is 'bitching' ". 

Before saying goodnight, Draco mentioned his parents would be gone in three days again. He would try to sneak out or even better, kick the Dursleys out, so he would coincidentally go to Diagon Alley and meet Draco at the same place he had met him today. 

His snowy owl returned. The teenager closed the window, put her in her cage and fed her. 

"Is it crazy that I want to see him again?" he whispered to his owl.

Round, amber eyes stared at him as the owl hooted at her owner.

"That probably means yes, but I will take it as a no, since that's what I want to hear now."

Then again, it could mean 'Just shut up and feed me'.

Who knows...


End file.
